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Updated: 11/17/2026
If you rent or own accommodation in Pattaya – apartment, house, condo – and want to apply for a bank account, get a driver’s license, extend your visa or just get a residency certificate, you will need TM.30.
This article is not about laws – it’s about practice. How it really works, who really has to submit this form, and what to do if you don’t want fines and problems.
❗Attention❗ If you are just visiting Thailand for a vacation and do not plan to obtain any Thai documents, you probably do not need a TM30. You don’t have to read this article, relax and have a “sabai sabai sabai”. Even if you are staying in a condo, booked your own accommodation and forgot to get this paper, the likelihood that you will be fined is minimal. If you are vacationing on a trip, the hotel will do the paperwork for you.
If you like“everything to be clear” you can of course get it for your own peace of mind. Obtaining a TM 30 is free of charge and does not take much time if all the documents are in order. For this purpose it is enough to get the electronic version.
What TM.30 is and why you need it
TM.30 is a form of registration at the place of stay, i.e. a piece of paper that Immigration recognizes where you live. In essence, it is analogous to the Russian “propiska”. By law, it must be submitted by the owner of the housing within 24 hours after your arrival. But let’s say that when you rent a home in reality – in 90% of cases, the owner does not care.
If you are planning to get any documents or are in doubt, you’ll need this piece of paper because you won’t be able to do it without it:
- to open a bank account;
- to get a driver’s license;
- to extend your visa;
- get a residency certificate;
- to file a 90-day report in some provinces.
If you came on a regular stamp for 30/60/90 days and let’s say you want to stay for 2+ periods, for example for wintering, and you plan to receive documents for the 2nd period, you can in the 1st period do not think about this paper and get it after borderran or visaran for the 2nd period, because it is not checked when leaving or entering the country.
There are 2 kinds of TM30:
- Electronic TM30 – issued online by a real estate agency, landlord or hotel.
- Physical TM30 – processed independently at immigration.
You need a physical TM30 for the paperwork. The electronic version is quite easy to convert to physical – just print it out and bring it to the immigration office and they will convert it to physical for free.
The physical TM30 looks like this:
The electronic one looks like this:
Who’s really pitching TM.30
The person who needs the paper, which is you. The landlord will not take you to the immigration office to get this document. In addition, this document is valid until you leave or move to another accommodation. For example, you rented a place for 6 months, but every 2 months you have to move out to a borderran. It turns out that each entry stamp resets the validity of TM30 and it must be reissued.
Furthermore, most owners will do an online version that will not suit your needs, but will only help you avoid a penalty to the owner.
What documents are required for registration
In short, you need passports and a rental agreement. Everything else can be done directly at immigration. De facto:
- A completed TM30 form (available at the Information Desk) or an electronic version of the TM30. If possible, print the form in advance to avoid wasting time.
- Copy of passport: main page
- Copy of passport: entry stamp
- Copy of passport: visa, if available
- A copy of the rental agreement, preferably containing the agreement itself, a copy of the landlord’s ID card, a copy of the house book (Tor Ror 14, blue book, yellow book). Usually all of these documents are attached to the contract.
- UPD. As of November 2025, they also started asking for a QR TDAC. This is a QR code that you get when you fill out a form at the entrance. You can print it out or just show it on your phone while you are filling out the paperwork.
You can prepare them in advance, then you won’t have to wait in line to copy them.
Procedure for physical TM30 in Pattaya
1. Come to the immigration office in Pattaya (Jomtien):
75/265 หมู่ที่ 12 ถนน ชายหาดจอมเทียน Pattaya City, Bang Lamung District, Chon Buri 20150
Contacts: Official website. Tel: +6638252751
Working hours: Mon – Fri: 08:30 – 16:30 (break 12:00 – 13:00, but really the line before the lunch break closes at 11:30, there are cases when at 11:15 it is already closed). Come in the morning or at least by 10:00, then you will not be mistaken.
2. If you do not have copies, go to the copying queue first. Tell the young man “I need TM30” and give him the original documents. He makes the necessary copies himself. The cost of the copy is 3 Thai baht. If there is a big queue, you can leave the pavilion and go to the merchants who make visas – go out and to the right. It will cost 5 baht for 1 copy, but you will save time.
3. Approach the INFORMATION counter. There will be a zigzag queue inside the room. Before entering the queue you can have a free water in the refrigerator. When it’s your turn, tell the employee the same thing: “I need TM30”. You will be given a form to fill out, or a ticket to queue (if you have the electronic version). If you are lucky, you may be given a form + a ticket. Then you will save time standing in line again.
4. You fill in the form: there are simple fields for who you are, where you live and who you write in. The fields are similar to the fields for the electronic version of TM30. Usually it is only the address itself that is difficult, but you can leave the fields blank – the main thing is to write the name of the condo. There will be a table where you can just enter everyone who lives in the condo with you. Stand in line again, show that now you have everything in hand and the employee gives you a queue ticket to the 9 window. Go outside, go to the neighboring pavilion and sit on a chair. Wait your turn. There are TVs there, where it will be written window + queue.
5. When yours lights up – go up to the employee and give him all the documents. Sometimes he may ask to see the original document – just show it and that’s it.
6. Receive the finished document.
The procedure usually takes ~30 minutes. But in high season you can get stuck for an hour. The main thing is to take into account the lunch break and not to get caught on it. Get there before 10:00.
Penalties
By law, a fine of 800 to 2,000 baht.
But as a matter of fact:
- In Pattaya most often there is no penalty if you submit within 3 or even 7 days after check-in.
- Immigration officers are loyal if you behave politely, don’t hide your visas and come on your own.
- There are situations where the landlord is fined, but in a private rental, the landlord is not even called.
Expiration date
The document is valid until:
- Any departure/exit outside of Thailand. Border or visaran is also considered a departure. In general, if you have a new entry stamp, the TM30 is no longer valid.
- If you move to a new apartment and sign a new contract, you need to file again. But in practice, you can use the old TM in this case, if you do not announce anywhere that you have changed your place of residence.
- Stayed living in the same place without moving out – no need to renew.
According to the law, you have to register any time you move. For example, if you went to Bangkok, spent the night there and came back, you have to update your passport, but in practice they cannot trace it in any way. Therefore, it is important to keep an eye on the stamps in your passport.
How do I get the electronic version?
1. open the immigration website tm30.immigration.go.th
2. Register on it (select Foreigner in the form)
- 1 option – Foreigner
- email – specify your email address, to which all documents will be sent later
- Passport number
- Nationality – as in the screenshot
- Gender: Male – Male, Female – Female
- First Name
- Surname
- Middle name – it is not necessary if it is not written in the passport.
3. Wait for the verification email. You have to click on “Verify Email” in the email. Example letter:
There is a small nuance that the same email on a cell phone may open snaggy and look like this.
The verification button is so small that users can’t see it.
In this case, you simply zoom in on the email (by spreading your fingers) and poke on our minibutton. An example of a zoomed-in screenshot:
4. After that you will receive an e-mail with your login and password.
5. Authorize in the system and fill in the form. In the left part you should add screenshots of your passport stamp and visa.
Many people have difficulties filling in an address in Thailand. The address system differs from the logic of Russian addresses. For example, there is no choice of “Pattaya”. Pattaya’s address may look like this: CHON BURI, Bang Lamung, Nong Prue (the last subdistrict may differ: Na Kluea, Hua Yi, etc.).
We attach the property deeds and owner ID.
6. Submit the form and wait for a response.
Conclusion
Yes, by law TM.30 is the landlord’s responsibility. But in life, it’s the tenant‘s responsibility.
The procedure is not complicated and takes about 30 minutes. If you do not want to waste time and nerves on explanations at immigration, it is easier to do everything yourself and forget it.
FAQ: Popular Questions
Do we have to pay for TM.30?
No, it’s free. There are only costs for copying documents, literally a few baht if you submit a physical version. This is often what is needed to accept the documents.
Why do you need an online version then if they ask for a physical version everywhere?
The online version is only suitable for getting your documents in order so that you don’t get a fine. However, during our long time of living in Pattaya we have not met any situations when anyone of our acquaintances received this fine. Of course, if you yourself somehow deliberately demonstrate that you do not have TM30 and you violated all the deadlines for registration to the immigration officer – he will have to fine you.
Who is required to file TM30 when renting a condo, apartment or house?
By law, the owner. In practice, the one who needs this document, i.e. the tenant, if the landlord refuses to do so.
If I am staying at a hotel, do I need to do a TM.30?
No, the hotel does it for you. You can ask for a printed form at reception.
If I’m out on a boarder run or vizaran. Do I need to renew the TM30?
Yeah, you have to get the TM.30 all over again.
Is it okay to refer to “helpers”?
You can, but you need to choose your contractor carefully so that they don’t give you fake documents. The procedure is quite simple – it is easier to do it yourself or get it online.
I have rented accommodation through Airbnb or Booking. How do I get TM30?
Most likely you came for a short time, in this case it is better to just rest, and not to chase unnecessary paperwork or disputes with the owners. Russians have a visa-free regime, and the only bottleneck in which you can “grab a fine” is just visa issues (obtaining a visa, 90-day report, etc.). Therefore, for short-term rentals it is difficult to imagine situations for which you will need this paper. Short-term rentals in condos (less than a month) are prohibited in Thailand, so the owner may refuse to provide you with a contract. Don’t be discouraged – this should be discussed individually anyway. Explain your need, maybe the owner will issue the TM30 online for you and you will convert it to a physical version. There is always a way out.
Does the 90-day report affect the 90-day report?
If a TM30 is not filed, can it affect the timing of my 90-day report? (Yes, failure to have an up-to-date TM30 can make it difficult or even result in a denial of the 90-day report).
In what situations will I need a TM30?
Any visa issues and any issues related to obtaining any documents from the state authorities (license, car purchase, etc.).
I’m just on vacation for two weeks. Do I have to do a TM.30?
Legally, you have to. In fact, you don’t have to. If you come to a hotel, the hotel will do it for you – don’t worry, you already have it. If you rent a condo or stay with friends, to get a fine, you need to come to the immigration office and show clearly that you broke the law. We doubt you will do that.
